Huddlestone

[Pirate55]

so who the fudge would you have played in his position today that would have done better?

We simply didnt need two DMs today. He and Sandra are too deep at home against a team coming to defend.

We should have played one of them (probably Sandro) and gone 4-1-3-2 with Ade and Defoe up front.

 

[kanoute16]

So many people in denial here. Hudd isn't going to do it for us people! He's too slow and lumbering, he can pick out a pass but you need to have more to your game nowadays. It's not about fitness really it's about knowing how to create space and agility. Both are qualities he lacks.

Yea we can ask who should play instead but just because he's all we have at the moment doesn't mean he's good enough or that it's working with him.

 

[NaijaSpurs]

I have defended Huddlestone consistently on this forum but enough is enough, there comes a time when we have to admit that he is not going to cut it. I always use to talk up his great passing but that has gone, and when he does pass he seems to dwell on the ball too long before makes a decison. And of course when we are not in possession he becomes a liability. With Demebele out these past weeks this was his chance to shine and he has not delivered. We need an upgrade

 

[Jimmy-g]

We simply didnt need two DMs today. He and Sandra are too deep at home against a team coming to defend.

We should have played one of them (probably Sandro) and gone 4-1-3-2 with Ade and Defoe up front.

All right Pirate you drop Huddlestone who else was there, surely not Carroll, Dempsey or Siggy are not CM`s in fact I have not got a clue what Siggy is yet, AVB really had no options, I 100% agree about Sandro and Huddlestone playing to deep.

 

[Kingdawson]

I have defended Huddlestone consistently on this forum but enough is enough, there comes a time when we have to admit that he is not going to cut it. I always use to talk up his great passing but that has gone, and when he does pass he seems to dwell on the ball too long before makes a decison. And of course when we are not in possession he becomes a liability. With Demebele out these past weeks this was his chance to shine and he has not delivered. We need an upgrade

At least you're now admitting this rather than being stubborn.

 

[SpurMeUp]

Hold on, wasn't he half decent today? Walker, Defoe, Dempsey, Sig were more below par I thought. Hud played some decent passes and made one or two important tackles. He's been out for how long? And this was what, his third start or something? Imo if Sandro had stayed on, they would have complemented each other well, and we would have probably won the game.

 

[Kingdawson]

Hold on, wasn't he half decent today? Walker, Defoe, Dempsey, Sig were more below par I thought. Hud played some decent passes and made one or two important tackles. He's been out for how long? And this was what, his third start or something? Imo if Sandro had stayed on, they would have complemented each other well, and we would have probably won the game.

Thought he was poor that was easily marked out the game by Ben Watson of all people but some thought he was ok. Him, Dempsey and Livermore are not good enough for this club (at least with Livermore he's a utility player).

 

[SpurMeUp]

Thought he was poor that was easily marked out the game by Ben Watson of all people but some thought he was ok. Him, Dempsey and Livermore are not good enough for this club (at least with Livermore he's a utility player).

Thing is he is creative. Bale's headed goal. That pass today - milermeter and weight perfect into a man in the box. Whoever controlled the pass - pass of the match - couldn't get the shot away. But had they scored we would be celebrating Huds skill. There was little space and movement for him make telling passes, but I saw him play some positive balls today on a day when the team could barely sting 2 forward passes together all match.

Would love to see a gif of that pass he made into the box today.

 

[awesome dawson]

Would love to see him move to Italy, he might end up becoming the new Pirlo.

Turning circle of an oil tanker and mobility of Stephen Hawkins. Hudd won't cut it as a starting central midfielder for us, if we have ambitions to challenge for the top positions.

 

[kanoute16]

Hold on, wasn't he half decent today? Walker, Defoe, Dempsey, Sig were more below par I thought. Hud played some decent passes and made one or two important tackles. He's been out for how long? And this was what, his third start or something? Imo if Sandro had stayed on, they would have complemented each other well, and we would have probably won the game.

Defoe was one player that actually ran his gonads off today ffs.
That he didn't have a chance on goal was testament to how poor the middle of the park was - i.e. Hudd, Dempsey etc.

 

[colin fishwick]

But Huddlestone is a creative midfield player and Friedel is a goalkeeper resposible for stopping goals!!!

I think you must be using that term loosely . he creates very little always has done. No assists , no goals, not really the sign of a great creative player.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Only preach to me when you're able to do the same with other posters including a mod that are constantly guilty of "not applying the same standards". I've already shown you proof where 4 or 5 posters are so quick to blame Friedel of something yet say fudge all when others do the same thing (that was you included btw until i pointed it out).

As for Huddlestone, i don't try and hide my feelings towards him like others do with Friedel. I think Huddlestone offers very little and is ridiculously overrated but i'd still list in in my starting preferred x1 if i honestly feel his presense will help us win (check the match threads). That's what being fair is about.

Have to agree with KD. Hudd's biggest admirers will always hark back to the days when he played great in 09/10 against Chelsea and Arsenal, but what's he done since then in all honesty?

When Stoke are one of the only clubs interested in your services, that speaks volumes!

 

[mattls]

Good article on our current midfield and how January couldnt come quick enough for AVB. I have been banging the drum for a change of 4-4-2 at the Lane but maybe it is a change of personnel that can change our fortunes..

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/ed...s-and-no-moutinho-leave-villas-boas-tottenham

 

[DHSF]

Have to agree with KD. Hudd's biggest admirers will always hark back to the days when he played great in 09/10 against Chelsea and Arsenal, but what's he done since then in all honesty?

When Stoke are one of the only clubs interested in your services, that speaks volumes!

Well he was out of action the entirety of last season. This season he has had to battle his way back into fitness and shape which im presuming for a big guy like him will take a fair bit of time.

If you guys wanna give the likes of Dempsey and Sig time then surely you should also give someone like Hudd time as Hudd has proven it for us whilst the aforementioned two have not.

 

[parklane1]

I think you must be using that term loosely . he creates very little always has done. No assists , no goals, not really the sign of a great creative player.

He was rubbish once again yesterday, we desperately need to get Dembele fit and Hud sold.

 

[ArcspacE]

There is a reason we had agreed to let him go in the summer

 

[diego_maradona]

There is a reason we had agreed to let him go in the summer

If we had who would be playing right now? Livermore? Jenas? Carroll?

 

[ArcspacE]

If we had who would be playing right now? Livermore? Jenas? Carroll?

Malbranque

On a serious note - Ideally it should have been Moutinho but as it stands currently - I would imagine Sigurdsson would have been first choice CM, rotating with Livermore (and hopefully Carroll)

 

[Spursalot]

I'm starting to get the feeling that Thudd is not really suited to a 4-2-3-1, and that his inclusion is partly the reason that the AM is currently looking so isolated.


Last season we had Vdv, yes Vdv is a superior player to any of our AM's this season, however he also had Modric. Modric is far more Mobile, creative, willing to look for space and play a one-two and able to get out of a tight spot. His interplay with VDV was what bought Vdv into the game, other then that Vdv was usually in the game via dropping deep which was of detriment to our attacking threat.


This however is not really Thudd's game, he is far more the type of player that will sit back deep and fling passes around the park. They are accurate passes mind, but it means that:

1: The ball won't get to the AM very often, Sig and Dempsey are going to lose a long ball the majority of the time as they are not that kind of player.

2: When the AM does get the ball they don't have anyone looking for that easy pass into space a la Modric used to do, and even if Thudd does once in a while, he's not the type of player to excel in a tight spot. He does far better with time on the ball.



I get the feeling this is partly why Thudd excelled in a classic 4-4-2, because he got the ball out to the wingers quickly and they were able to cross to two men in the box able to do some damage, however in our current 4-2-3-1 they only have the one player in the box (currently defoe who is not exactly a huge threat in the air) because the AM is sitting outside the box. If the ball does get to the striker and he controls it he's pretty much isolated, much as the AM is being.


In a 4-3-3 i think Thudd would be more effective. Stick Sandro, for the defensive work, Thudd, for the creativity and Dembele (or perhaps a better passing player a la moutinho) to link it all together and run with the ball i think it would be far more successful. Partly because we would no longer have the issue of the isolated AM or the possible isolated ST and we would actually be playing with eleven men again.

 

[braineclipse]

I'm starting to get the feeling that Thudd is not really suited to a 4-2-3-1, and that his inclusion is partly the reason that the AM is currently looking so isolated.


Last season we had Vdv, yes Vdv is a superior player to any of our AM's this season, however he also had Modric. Modric is far more Mobile, creative, willing to look for space and play a one-two and able to get out of a tight spot. His interplay with VDV was what bought Vdv into the game, other then that Vdv was usually in the game via dropping deep which was of detriment to our attacking threat.


This however is not really Thudd's game, he is far more the type of player that will sit back deep and fling passes around the park. They are accurate passes mind, but it means that:

1: The ball won't get to the AM very often, Sig and Dempsey are going to lose a long ball the majority of the time as they are not that kind of player.

2: When the AM does get the ball they don't have anyone looking for that easy pass into space a la Modric used to do, and even if Thudd does once in a while, he's not the type of player to excel in a tight spot. He does far better with time on the ball.



I get the feeling this is partly why Thudd excelled in a classic 4-4-2, because he got the ball out to the wingers quickly and they were able to cross to two men in the box able to do some damage, however in our current 4-2-3-1 they only have the one player in the box (currently defoe who is not exactly a huge threat in the air) because the AM is sitting outside the box. If the ball does get to the striker and he controls it he's pretty much isolated, much as the AM is being.


In a 4-3-3 i think Thudd would be more effective. Stick Sandro, for the defensive work, Thudd, for the creativity and Dembele (or perhaps a better passing player a la moutinho) to link it all together and run with the ball i think it would be far more successful. Partly because we would no longer have the issue of the isolated AM or the possible isolated ST and we would actually be playing with eleven men again.

In a 4-2-3-1 when you dominate matches you do want one of those two deep midfielders to be able to push forward with some real purpose into the final third. Hudd isn't great at that and Sandro isn't either. Place Hudd next to Dembele and I think they could work very well together and Hudd would fit that formation. Why we need another option for the Dembele role because Parker and Livermore aren't great at that either so we are lacking cover.